Deployment Idea 3# – Visual Countdown Calendar

Today’s deployment idea comes from my friend Briana. I saw this on her Facebook page, loved the idea, and asked her to write a post about it. I hope you enjoy!

It’s that time you have been anticipating for weeks. While you are dreading it, you are also happy for your husband to leave. Only because once he leaves you can start your countdown and be a day closer to him coming home.

I’ve been through 2 deployments. My second one is soon to be ending. But I always feel so overwhelmed the first weeks. Sitting there calculating how many times I’ll go grocery shopping without him, how many Sundays I’ll be alone at church and how many weeks he will roughly be gone.

It’s so overwhelming to look at the deployment in that way. I personally think it’s depressing also.

A couple years ago I sat with a friend who just went through all I mentioned above. She was really down. Then I got the idea that she should focus on events that will happen during the deployment. Instead of the days, weeks, and missed meals. It really helped her out.

This deployment I used that same advice I had given. My son is still too little to understand what’s going on. So I made a little visual countdown calendar. I put big events to look forward too or that would be happening before Daddy got back home.

You can do pretty much anything for the visual event countdown. But ours is a road and we are driving in a little car towards the end of the deployment. It has been fun to move the car after each event.

I made mine by cutting shapes out with my cricut. I also laminated each piece and the calendar itself so it was more sturdy. You can get things laminated at Staples or your local office supply store.

There are so many other ways you can create one. You could even do graphics on the computer or cut your own items out of construction paper. It’s a lot of fun to make. Even better when you get to move after another event.

My name is Briana (Bri). I am a proud AF wife of almost 4 years. We have a son Ethan who just turned 2 in Sept. We are currently at the end of our 2nd deployment. We are currently stationed at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota. I am a stay at home mom. I used to work at the Airman and Family Readiness Center, part time. But recently lost my job due to government cuts. I spend my days keeping busy with our son. I enjoy reading, shopping, sewing and anything else crafty.

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My husband just left yesterday. It is our first deployment and we are also expecting our first child. His deployment ends 3months after the baby is due. I had already decided I would have to have a visual countdown to help get me through it. If I put my thoughts and counting on paper and out of my head, I will get through it better. This is a really cute idea! And on the bright side, the Army has decided to get him home for the baby’s birth.